


silent night, holy night.

by brave (orphan_account)



Series: A Miraculous Christmas [16]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Minor Character Death, like super minor not important
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:42:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21745465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/brave
Summary: all is calm, all is bright.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Plagg & Adrien
Series: A Miraculous Christmas [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1553656
Comments: 5
Kudos: 90





	silent night, holy night.

Sabine hears Marinette whispering frantically at someone else in her room. The voice she's talking to isn't loud enough for Sabine to hear, but Marinette answers. She assumes it has something to do with how her daughter turns into Ladybug.

Sabine knocks thrice on Marinette's door, her daughter hisses something ("Hide!" probably), and everything is quiet.

"Come in!"

Sabine opens the trapdoor to see Marinette sitting primly on her chaise lounge. "Hi, Maman."

Sabine almost laughs at her daughter's suspicious behavior. "Marinette, we need to talk, sweetheart. Can you come down for a moment?"

Marinette looks nervous all of a sudden. "S-sure. Of course."

Sabine turns around to go down, but catches a glimpse of her daughter putting on her signature purse.

Tom is in the living room, waiting for them. He smiles at Marinette and that calms her down a little. 

"Ma belle, we have to leave Paris for a while," Tom says. 

Marinette's eyes widen. "Leave? Paris?" She says, like she can't comprehend the words together. Like the idea of those words and their meaning is a hard bitter pill to swallow. 

Sabine nods, "Your baba's Auntie Lynn, remember her? Yes, she died last night from cardiac arrest." 

"Oh." And Marinette looks troubled. She obviously doesn't want to go, but she has to because of familial obligations. 

(But what about her obligations to Paris?) 

Tom and Sabine share a look as Marinette's thoughts fly. They can both read her well enough, and both know how valid her worries are. 

"Ma belle, if you can't come, that's alright." Tom says. 

Marinette looks at him like she can't believe her ears. "Are you sure?" 

"Yes. Oh, sweetheart, we know how busy you must be. With your school activities and... maybe even some other outside obligations." Sabine smiles, not commenting as Marinette winces. "We were just telling you that if you wanted to join us." 

(She could stand to be away from Paris for a while, but it seems Paris cannot stand to be without her.) 

"I'd love to, Maman, Baba. But..." 

Tom smiles, understanding. She really does sacrifice a lot for Paris. "It's okay, Marinette. You don't have to worry, we're not mad." Sabine nods as she squeezes Marinette's arm. 

"If only he had parents like you guys..." she mutters. 

"What was that?" Tom asks, surprised. 

"Nothing! Nothing! Just talking to myself!" Marinette backtracks.

Tom nods, skeptical, "Anyway, we'll be closing shop for the week. You don't have to wake up early, but you will have to wake yourself up for school."

"There aren't any deliveries coming over for the week either, so if there's anyone knocking on the door announcing a delivery, ignore it." Sabine feels like she doesn't have to tell Ladybug how to keep herself safe, but it's the principle of the matter, plus she and Tom are not supposed to know the truth.

"We're going to leave you some money for food, and the refrigerator has groceries in it if you want to make your own."

"And, that's about it. Any questions?" Sabine asks.

A thoughtful look crosses Marinette's face. "Actually... is it alright if I invite a friend over, maybe not the whole week, but... a good portion of it?"

Tom and Sabine share a glance. _Chat Noir?_

"Well, yes, I guess. Who is it, ma belle? Alya?" Tom asks.

"No, um... actually. It's Adrien." Marinette says, a furrow on her brow.

"Adrien? Well, of course he can stay, ma belle. But are you sure you're ready for that? And wouldn't it be better if he invited you over instead?" Sabine asked, her mama bear instincts coming to the fore. (Tom huffs a little in amusement and exasperation. He knows Sabine still feels a little bit of bitterness towards Adrien for breaking their Mari's heart. Just a little. Marinette gets her pettiness from her mother, that's for sure.)

"It's not like that!" They stop at the upset look in Marinette's eyes. "Adrien, he... he's got that big, cold house, and his room alone may be bigger than the boulangerie and loaded with things and any entertainment as far as the eye can see, but there's no one to share it with but himself in there. He's always so alone even though... even with his bodyguard there." Marinette shakes her head. (She mentioned only the bodyguard, why? What about M. Agreste and his assistant?) 

"I don't want him to be even more alone than he already is." Marinette says, and she looks like she's about to cry. 

"Marinette?" Tom asks worriedly. The way she worded that sentence was weird. (Like she knew something else was happening or going to be happening to Adrien.) 

"Nothing. It's nothing," Marinette says, looking tired all of a sudden. "I just have a really bad feeling."

"A bad feeling?" Sabine asks.

"About his father..." Marinette says, hugging herself.

Tom frowns. He knows Marinette idolizes Gabriel Agreste, knows that she wants to work for him in the future. His little girl has had dreams of owning a fashion empire as grand as (or even better than) Gabriel's.

So for Marinette to say something like that...

Adrien might very well be in danger, or something along those lines.

Tom remembers his own parents, and how Adrien reminds Tom of himself, and nods. "He can stay for as long as he needs to, sweetheart."

Sabine looks at Tom questioningly, he returns her look with a determined expression. Sabine's eyes turn worried and sad before she nods in acquiescence. "What your father said, ma belle."

Marinette rushes forward to hug her parents, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Her gratitude and relief are palpable. Sabine accepts that they did the right thing.

"Take care of that boy, Marinette." Tom says, a wistful smile on his face. Sabine lays a hand on her husband's arm, giving him a sad smile of her own.

* * *

Adrien's locked himself up in his room. He doesn't feel safe in the walls of this house anymore. He jumps at every little sound outside his door, has checked his room diligently everyday for... for cameras, bugs, listening devices, anything.

His father is _Papillon_.

_Gabriel Agreste_ is _**Papillon**_.

He still can't believe it. But he's seen it with his own eyes. Ladybug was with him when it happened.

Mayura had been caught once again (God, that was _Nathalie_ , wasn't it, he's going to be sick), Papillon had come to her rescue. Papillon was careless, so was Mayura. They didn't know Ladybug had attached a part of her Lucky Charm, a tracker and transceiver, on her.

They weren't expecting the tracker to lead them to the Agreste manor.

Just like that, they finally had an answer to the question that was bothering them for months.

Just like that, what little hope Adrien had for a happy family with his father and Nathalie crumbled into ashes, as if it had been Cataclysmed.

Ladybug had looked terrified now that he thought about it.

He couldn't really remember exactly what happened after that.

"I have to get out of here." He says. "I have to get out of here, Plagg."

Plagg phases out of his pocket, "I know, kid. But calm down for a second!"

"I can't calm down, Plagg!" Adrien yells. "He's... My fath--Gabriel Agreste is Papillon!" He whispers the last word like a curse.

His vision's swimming, why is it swimming? He's hyperventilating. He's panicking.

"Kid, please, breathe." Plagg makes a show of inhaling and exhaling and Adrien follows. Oh God, he feels like he's going to lose what little lunch he had. He needs a distraction. He needs to leave. He wants to go to Nino's. He wants to leave. He wants to go to Marinette's balcony and just stay there.

He doesn't want to be here anymore.

"Kid! Phone!" Plagg distracts him from the downward spiral, and true to what he said, Adrien's phone is ringing.

Marinette's smiling face is on his screen and he gulps a breath of air before answering.

"Hello...?"

" _Adrien!_ " Marinette's voice sounds relieved. Had he made her wait that long? " _Are you alright?!_ "

_No_ , he wants to say. "Yeah, I'm fine. What's up?"

" _Listen... can I talk to you... in person, that is?_ "

He silently thanks the luck gods that Marinette is there.

"Sure! Um, where do we meet?"

" _The park by my place, if that's alright with you._ "

"Yes, I'll be there in five."

" _Okay. See you. Be safe._ "

She ends the call and he heaves a sigh of relief. Finally, an out. Another out, at least for today.

His Princess was in a better mood these past few weeks. He'd like to think part of the reason is because Chat Noir was always there to keep her company. He doesn't know why she was upset that one tiring night (Fu was gone, just like that), but he didn't want to be alone to deal with his confusing emotions, and she looked like she needed someone to listen to her air out all her disappointment. He's glad he talked to her and cheered her up. She's even friendlier, especially to him, Adrien him and Chat Noir him. They've joked around a lot, and they're almost practically attached to the hip most days. His Princess had become his best friend in these past few weeks, and he was grateful for her.

(Maybe, maybe, she could help him. Somehow. He didn't want Marinette to get involved even more with all the magic and 'miracles' surrounding Paris. He would not be the reason she gets Akumatized.)

He packs a wedge of camembert wrapped in tissue paper in his pocket, his phone, his keys, and then he's out.

Nathalie and his father aren't around when he leaves. (Maybe they were in Papillon's secret lair, wherever that was.)

He leaves the manor with no one being the wiser. His bodyguard turns a blind eye the moment he sees the look on Adrien's face. (He's so thankful, so thankful that the Gorilla was on his side. He doesn't even know the man's name.)

Just as promised, he's over at the park by Marinette's place in five minutes.

She's sitting on a bench tucked underneath the shade of a big tree, a little hidden unless someone were actively looking for it.

He approaches Marinette.

"Mari?"

* * *

Tikki nudges gently against her hip when Adrien finally makes it to the park.

She's prepared for this. She's made speeches in her head for this. She doesn't know how this will change her friendship with Adrien, but she'll be damned if she doesn't at least tell him what's been happening underneath his nose. He deserves to know.

(He deserves to know what happens when she and Chat Noir inevitably catch them both.)

"Mari?"

She stands up, staring at Adrien straight in the eyes. He jumps a little in surprise. (She wouldn't have been able to do this a couple of weeks ago. Then again, a couple of weeks ago, it didn't feel like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.)

"This place isn't as private as I want it to be. Um, would you like to come over instead? My parents aren't home."

Adrien looks confused, but nods. "Sure."

The walk home is tense and quiet. She knows Adrien must have a lot of questions, but she's going to be thorough. He needs to know his father's going to jail and may never come back. (Because she'll be damned if she lets Papillon's reign of terror continue. Nooroo needs to be rescued, and Duusu as well.)

Adrien lets her enter the boulangerie first, before closing the door behind him.

They make their way upstairs until they're both seated on Marinette's chaise lounge.

Marinette takes a deep breath and looks around her room. (Once upon a time, she had pictures of the very boy beside her scattered around the walls of her room. It's funny how just a few weeks' time have changed her so much.)

"I wanted to tell him first, but you deserve to know everything," she starts. "And before I tell you everything, you have to know who I am, so that you know I'm not lying to you." She turns to face Adrien and takes a deep breath.

"Adrien, the truth is..." She swallows. Why was it so hard. This is for his own good. _For his own good, Marinette!_

"Marinette?"

"I'm Ladybug." She blurts out. 

* * *

"I'm Ladybug." Those two words were enough to tilt his world out of its axis. 

He looks, really looks, at this girl beside him. And, yes. Suddenly everything makes sense. Suddenly, all the pieces of the puzzle fit. Yes, she's his Lady. Marinette Dupain-Cheng is indeed his Ladybug. 

His face is frozen into a mask of shock, and Marinette probably assumes he doesn't believe her.

"Tikki, can you come out, please?" 

And Adrien almost sobs when Tikki, Tikki whom he had the pleasure of transforming with that one time, appears, a sad knowing smile on her face. 'I'm so sorry, Adrien,' Ladybug's kwami's eyes say. 

"You know what a kwami is. Remember, from... from Desperada?" She doesn't mean to bring back old memories, and indeed, he remembers. _25,913_. "Tikki is my kwami. She lets me turn into Ladybug. She's the reason I can turn into Ladybug and save Paris from... from Papillon." 

The name hangs in the air between them, like an utterance of the name of evil. Like Harry Potter saying the name of You-Know-Who when everyone else was too scared to do so. 

Marinette cups her hands and Tikki lands in them. 

"I'm telling you this because knowing who I am is important. You're in danger." She looks at him, begging him to believe her, "It's Papillon... he's--" 

"My Père," he finishes. 

Marinette's mouth shuts so quickly he hears the click of her teeth. "You... you know?" She asks, her voice wavering.

"I... I was there when you found out." Adrien says, reaching out to place his hands on her shoulders. 

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and says, "I was there with you when we found out, Milady."

He hears her sharp intake of breath. 

He feels the cold touch of her hands cupping his cheeks, and Adrien suddenly finds it hard to breathe. "Plagg, you can come out now, too." 

He hears Plagg's voice speak in an unfamiliar language, and Tikki responds in kind. "We'll be leaving you two to talk," Tikki says.

The room is quiet again. 

"Chaton?" Marinette asks. 

Adrien squeezes his eyes further shut, and nods, "Ouais, c'est moi, Milady." He swallows, and then takes a deep shuddering breath. It feels like some of the weight has fallen off his chest. (It's not enough, of course. God, it's not enough. It still hurts. _It still hurts._ ) 

"Adrien, please, open your eyes." 

Who is he to not follow His Lady's requests? He opens them. 

* * *

Marinette watches as Adrien slowly opens his eyes. His eyes look so beautiful, like emeralds with flecks of gold, like actual gemstones. 

She sees the sorrow in them, so much deeper than hers. 

She feels tears well up in her eyes as he removes his hands from her shoulders and places them above hers on his cheeks. "I'm so sorry, mon chaton."

Adrien sobs. 

She wraps her arms around him, and he clings onto her back. 

She's running her fingers through his hair, and rubbing soothing circles on his back.

She hums a song as she tightens her hold. 

"I'm so sorry, mon minou." She rests her cheek against his blond curls. "I'm so sorry."

Her sweater's getting soggy, but she doesn't care. 

"I won't ever leave you alone, Minou. Never. I'll try my best never to." She promises.

"Milady," he hiccups against the crook of her neck. "It hurts so much, Mari." 

"It's okay to feel this way, Adrien." She breathes in, all her emotions are fire hot, blazing, angry. "And if your asshole father thinks he can send an Akuma over to you, I'll protect you."


End file.
